Barbie has added a new icon to its Inspiring Women collection, and this time the honor goes to a woman whose life’s work reshaped the nation’s understanding of freedom. Dr. Opal Lee, known as the Grandmother of Juneteenth, now has a doll in her likeness that celebrates her nearly century-long fight to make Juneteenth a federally recognized holiday.
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At 99, Lee’s legacy is already part of American history. Seeing her story reflected in a doll designed by Carlyle Nuera, with packaging by Vicky Gevorkyan, adds a new layer to her impact and offers representation that young people can hold in their hands.
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Her Activism in Focus
The doll mirrors Lee’s signature look from Opal’s Walk for Freedom, the annual two and a half mile walk she leads to honor the long gap between emancipation and the day freedom reached enslaved people in Texas. Dressed in a custom event tee, white joggers, and sneakers, the doll reflects the spirit of a woman who showed what it means to stand up for freedom.
For Lee, Juneteenth has never been just a date. She was born in Marshall, Texas in 1926. She grew up with the memory of her family’s home being burned down by white rioters on Juneteenth in 1939. That experience fueled her lifelong mission to ensure the holiday’s meaning was recognized across the country.
Decades of Determination
Lee spent years educating communities, organizing events, and urging lawmakers to acknowledge Juneteenth as a national holiday. Her work culminated in 2021 when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law with Lee standing beside him.
Her advocacy continued long before and long after that moment. In 2016, she walked 1,400 miles from Fort Worth to Washington, D.C., stopping in cities along the way to complete symbolic walks and build support. In 2024, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and earned her eighth honorary doctorate. Even when health challenges kept her from participating in the 2025 walk, communities carried the tradition forward in her honor.
Representation That Matters
Barbie and Lee shared the first images of the doll in a joint Instagram post, and the response was immediate. Fans celebrated the tribute as a milestone for representation and a meaningful acknowledgment of Lee’s influence.
Many wrote about growing up with Barbie and finally seeing dolls that reflect real women who shaped history. In addition to that reaction, others thanked the brand for recognizing that representation is not a trend but a responsibility.
A Legacy for the Next Generation
By honoring Lee, Barbie is preserving a story of resilience and liberation that has shaped Black families for generations. For Black children who will see this doll on shelves, it is a reminder that their history carries weight. It also reinforces that their future is theirs to shape.
Lee has always said that freedom is something we must work toward every day. Her likeness now stands as a symbol of that belief and an invitation for the next generation to keep moving forward.
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